


Parker Quinn

by banquos_ghost



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Drug Use, F/M, Game Spoilers, Misunderstandings, Sarcasm, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-09
Updated: 2016-04-09
Packaged: 2018-06-01 04:26:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6500755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/banquos_ghost/pseuds/banquos_ghost
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The murder of a Wasteland scammer leaves Nora at rock bottom and MacCready has to strike out on his own to try and fix the whole sorry mess.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

'If there's something on your mind, I'd love to hear about it', MacCready looks up at Nora his face full of concern and love.

'Trust me, Mac, you don't want to know about it,' Nora snaps. She doesn't even want to know about it, so why burden him as well?

Nora is in Hangman's Alley, a small Minutemen settlement close to Diamond City. The air is filled with the constant noise of gun fights night and day, as Diamond City guards fend off supermutants and raiders that come too close for comfort. Hangman's Alley is also under constant threat of attack, but it is a vital strategic trade hub for the Minutemen so it's worth the trouble of holding it. Nora loves it here, mainly due to the constant distractions. It takes her mind off things. And she really needs to take her mind off things at the moment.

She can't sleep, she can barely eat. She's been hitting the Jet hard. Nora knows why Mac is worried, but she's incapable of acting any other way. She can't deal with his concern, the worried look in his loving, kind eyes. A monster like her doesn't deserve love. 

It's all because of Parker Quinn. How she wishes she'd never met him. She hates him now, hates him for dogging her every move. His face haunts her day and night, like a fucked up kind of schoolgirl crush. He's the first thing she thinks about when she wakes, and the last thing on her mind when she tries to sleep at night. Parker Quinn is ruining her relationship with MacCready. When Nora kisses Mac goodnight she sees Parker Quinn's face in the semi-darkness instead of Mac's. When they make love it's Parker Quinn's face she feels leering at her. This means she can't stand physical contact any more from the man she loves more than anything else in the world. All because of Parker Quinn. So, who the fuck _is_ Parker Quinn? Parker Quinn is the man she murdered in cold blood. He wasn't even a threat, just some stupid con artist trying to scrape a living like the rest of us poor sinners. She murdered him in cold blood. Didn't even think about it. His crime? He called her a retard.

It had happened about a month ago when Mac and Nora were passing through South Boston near Andrew Station. A guy strolls up to them, clad in standard settler clothes; plaid shirt and jeans. He's young, Nora wouldn't have put him any older than 25. He has a shock of ginger hair slicked into a side parting and an expressive freckled face. He chats with an easy manner, like they're at some old world social gathering rather than standing around like sitting ducks in one of the most dangerous parts of the Commonwealth. He starts flattering Nora, merely salesman's patter, but she was enjoying the conversation. He was almost civil by Wasteland standards. He introduces himself as Parker Quinn and offers her a 'charge card' for 110 caps. OK, it's obviously a scam so she just tells him, 'I'm not interested.' Fine, whatever. Then, as she's walking away she distinctly hears him call back to her, 'Retard'. 

So, like it was a normal everyday action she snuck back and planted a live mine in his pocket and quickly walked away, casual as you like. Boom! No more Parker Quinn. Mac wasn't even shocked. He just found it all very amusing and made a joke - 'Never call Nora a retard' or something like that. They carried on with the rest of their day as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. 

But when the night time rolled around, oh shit, that was a different matter. Parker Quinn's face had appeared in Nora's nightmares all night long. After that hellish first night Parker lay low for a while and she thought the guilt had gone with him. No such luck, soon she started to see him everywhere. When she'd been killing raiders their looted corpses all seemed to look back at her with Parker Quinn's face. He started appearing in the crowds in Diamond City. She could have sworn she'd caught a glimpse of him in Goodneighbor. He's with her permanently now. Every night and most of the day, in every face she sees.  
Her day is given over to unwillingly musing about Parker bloody Quinn. Distract herself as she might in a quiet moment Parker is back in her mind, looking at her with his accusatory blue eyes staring into her soul, his freckled face wearing an exaggerated macabre rictus grin. Did he have a wife? Did he have any children? Are they sitting in some shack somewhere wild eyed with worry waiting for daddy Quinn to come home? At this point Nora's soft brown eyes will start to fill with tears. Sometimes she will rally a bit. He was a con artist after all, what does he expect, standing around street corners insulting people like that? If it hadn't been her killing him it would have been one of a thousand others that would have wanted to do it. But... a small voice in her head then starts to argue, he'd said he was always to be found on that corner, he must have encountered hundreds of people before her. She was the only one evil enough to kill him. Maybe she was the only one that he'd insulted like that. He deserves all he got if he bandies about insults to random heavily armed strangers, the small voice reassures her. Round and round, in her head, 'Parker Quinn'..

Nora wants to confide in Mac. She really does. She is so tempted to sink into his arms and let the pain be kissed away, but deep down she knows all the kisses in the world can't rid her of Parker Quinn. She stares into the cooking fire, nursing a chipped mug with a large measure of whisky in it. It's going to be another late night. Mac starts stretching and yawning with an exaggerated air.

'So, I think I'll turn in now, Nora,' he says, looking at her anxiously, 'care to join me?'

'Nah, I'm good thanks,' she continues to stare into the fire. 

A settler joins her by the fire and they share a Jet inhaler between them. They sit in companionable silence as they lose themselves in the effects of the Jet and the whisky. A few hours pass and Nora stumbles into the bed she and Mac share. He wakes in an instant and pivots round to check if she's ok. He sees she's high again and lies awake in the darkness worrying about her. Nora sleeps fitfully with Parker Quinn close by.  
The next morning Mac decides he's had enough. He's going to have to talk to Nora about this. He can't put it off any longer. Something is broken in her and he knows he can't fix her this time but still he has to try. He can't just carry on ignoring it. He wants to know who the fuck this Parker Quinn is, the name she keeps screaming and pleading with in her nightmares. If this Quinn character has hurt her in any way he's going to seek him out and kill him. He doesn't know what else to do. 

By the time Nora eventually surfaces Mac has been up for hours. He's promised himself, today is the day. He hands Nora a helping of cooked radstag. She won't eat it, but he has to keep on showing her he cares. He beckons to her to come and sit down by the fire. For Hangman's Alley it's a quiet start to the day, settlers are tending the meagre crops that grow there and a couple of Minutemen are patrolling the gates.

Nervously he clears his throat, 'Nora, we need to talk.'  
Inwardly Nora cringes... don't do this Mac, please don't do this. The next words from Mac's mouth hit her with the force of a mini nuke.  
'Just who the hell is this Parker Quinn you're dreaming about every night?'

Shit, shit, shit, Nora thinks. I must be talking in my sleep. She stares at him with eyes huge and round like a cornered animal.

'Pppp...ppp..Parker Quinn?,' she stammers the name, choking on those hated words. 'You know who Parker Quinn is Mac... you were there...'

'I was where? What? I've never heard of fucking Parker Quinn? Who is this dude? Has he hurt you? Tell me what he's done and I'll make it better.' Mac is really out of his depth now, his resolution not to swear in tatters. Nora's eyes are alive with something like their old fire.

'Don't tell me you don't know who the fuck Parker Quinn is Mac. You. Were. There....', Nora's voice has a new tone to it. Anger.

Now it's Mac's turn to flare. 'Right Nora, this is fucking bullshit. Where was I? Is this something I've done? For fucks sake just tell me.'

'OK, I'll refresh your memory shall I?', Nora sneers. She can't believe that he's actually forgotten that name. He was there, he was fucking there, for the whole conversation she'd had with Parker and had even chipped in with his own smart arse remarks. 'Parker Quinn is the guy that I murdered with a mine in South Boston.'

Of all the responses Mac had been expecting this wasn't it. He feels utterly incredulous. That was the famous Parker Quinn? That flame haired little scavver that Nora had blown up? That conning little shit had deserved all that he'd got. If Nora hadn't killed him, he'd have done it himself. Trying to scam them and then calling Nora a retard, he's killed for less than that. Much less. Mac rises from his seat by the fire and stalks off. He needs to be alone.

Nora remains rooted by the fire. So.. it was out there now. Mac had finally seen her for the monster she is. She's ruined everything.


	2. Chapter 2

Mac stands just outside the door of Hangman's Alley leaning against the wall. He drags on a cigarette, lost in thought. Trying to work out what just happened. Shit, he could have handled that better. He's made things worse, and doesn't know what to do now. How do you fight a dead man? If Parker Quinn was standing in front of him right now he'd happily blow his stupid ginger head off and spit in the stump. But he isn't, he's in Nora's head and Mac is unequipped to get him out. Mac sighs and racks his brains. The germ of an idea starts to form. It's not much, but it's something. He'll try anything to get him and Nora back to where they were. 

Things have been going so well. The Brotherhood have finally backed off and seemed to have given up avenging the Prydwen. The Minutemen settlements are thriving, forming a network of sanity and peace all over the Commonwealth. Together Mac and Nora have been developing Spectacle Island to eventually be a proper home, and all things being equal he's hoping they'll be able to fetch Duncan to join them within a few months. Now Parker Quinn has ruined it all. 

His idea to help Nora is half baked at best, but he has to try. He grinds his cigarette butt under his heel and goes back into the settlement.

Nora is still gazing into the fire and looks up as Mac approaches her. Her stomach spasms in dread and she feels like she's going to be sick. So.. this is how it ends. Well, she's had almost a year's happiness with him, she's grateful for that. Mac clears his throat, but doesn't say anything. She looks up at him, though it's tearing her heart in two having to meet his wounded blue eyes and dejected expression.

Mac clears his throat again, 'Nora, I'm sorry about being angry with you earlier...'

'No, no, I'm sorry.. ' she says it automatically, the default response, but her heart isn't in it. 

'Listen, Nora, I'm going away for a little while. I have to make a trip to Diamond City.. alone. I shouldn't be away more than a day. I'll try and get back before night fall but I can't guarantee it. Will you be all right while I'm gone?' Mac knows she'll be anything _but_ all right. They've not spent a night apart since they got together and he's not sure how he'll cope himself, but he has to do this.

'Sure, Mac, I'll be fine. You do what you have to do.' Nora doesn't even ask what he's doing. No point in forcing him to lie to her. If he's not brave enough to tell her the truth she can understand that.

'I'll just go and get my things together then,' Mac walks away, before Nora asks any questions that he can't answer.

Mac swiftly prepares the few things he needs to take with him to Diamond City, it's just a short distance away so he doesn't need to take much with him. He seeks out and speaks to a couple of the settlers that he has a rapport with. He asks them to keep an eye on Nora for him whilst he's gone. He begs them to make sure she goes easy on the Jet. They readily agree, they are concerned about 'The General' themselves.

Nora is still sat by the fire when Mac is ready to leave Hangman's Alley. He stands next to her and clears his throat. An irreverent thought pops into his head - this is becoming his customary greeting to Nora now - standing nervously like he's a naughty boy about to receive a punishment, clearing his throat because he's scared to address her directly and break her reverie. Nora looks up at him and slowly rises to her feet. 'You going now?' she gestures to his backpack.

'Yeah,' he says, still feeling awkward. He takes her into his arms to hug her goodbye. Her body is pitifully thin, her luscious curves bony and angular now. He is surprised when she enthusiastically hugs him back. She is hugging him so tightly it's almost painful but he doesn't want to break the spell. He bends to kiss her, but her face is pushed down onto his shoulder. He kisses the top of her head and uses his hand to gently raise her chin so she is looking at him. He kisses her softly on the lips. 'Well, goodbye then, I'll be back as soon as I can. Do you want me to bring anything back from Diamond City for you?'

'Just you,' she says, 'Just you'.


	3. Chapter 3

Mac is at the gates of Diamond City in less than an hour. He's still not sure exactly what he's going to do or trying to achieve. He's doing _something_ at least even if it is highly ineffectual. Anything is better than slowly watching Nora destroy herself over that jerk Parker Quinn. His first stop off is at The Dugout Inn. He needs a drink before he can start doing anything more productive. He shoots the breeze with Vadim, who enquires after Nora. 'Yeah, Vadim, yeah she's fine, just catching up with some business, you know?' Whilst he's here though he may as well get the ball rolling. He asks Vadim if he knows anybody called Parker Quinn, and gives Vadim a description of the guy.

Vadim's heard of him, 'I know the one you mean, yeah, he was here a while back trying to talk us into some stupid charge card nonsense. I told him to take a running jump.'

Mac then heads to the central market, on the pretext of buying some ammo he asks every stall holder about Parker Quinn, and those that remember him all say the same thing, more or less. He was a cocky little chancer that tried to scam us, and was run out of town by the guards. Moe even bashfully admitted that, yes, he had given Parker Quinn a few caps on the promise of being sent hundreds of new customers, but these customers had never materialised. 'If you run into Parker Quinn tell him I want my money back...' Moe had said, swinging his swatter with menace. Mac eventually visits all the traders in the market, every one of which enquired about Nora and received an anodyne lie and assurance that she was fine in return. Mac doesn't feel like he's any further forward. All the traders have done is confirm what he already knows. Sure, Parker Quinn was a opportunistic, arrogant pain in the ass, but if that was a hanging offence MacCready himself would be dead many times over. 

Settling at the noodle stand, he orders a bowl from Takahashi and makes them last what feels like an eternity as the residents of Diamond City continue their busy lives around him. Now he's actually in Diamond City he wants to cling to his pathetic hope rather than do something which will put an end to the only plan he's got.   
When he can procrastinate no longer, Mac starts a slow walk in the direction Nick Valentine's detective agency. He hopes Nick is going to be there and this wasn't a wasted trip. He enters the little office tucked away behind the main square. Ellie Perkins greets him, 'Hi MacCready, where's Nora?' So, the standard question everyone in Diamond City has asked him so far, then.

'Urr, she's back at Hangman's Alley, Ellie. She sends her love though.'

'What you're here alone, MacCready? Really? I thought you two were joined at the hip these days?'

'Look Ellie, I'm a big boy now, I am allowed out on my own'

'Okay, I was just asking, there's no need to be like that.'

Nick Valentine turns round in his chair to face MacCready. Nick doesn't care for the mouthy mercenary. He has no idea what Nora sees in him, or why she choses to take MacCready with her everywhere when there is no shortage of more worthy candidates, himself included. Nick tolerates MacCready because he respects Nora's choice. It doesn't mean he has to like it. 

'Good afternoon, MacCready. What can I do for you?'

Mac decides to dive straight in, no point beating around the bush 'Look Nick, I'm going to level with you. You don't like me, I get that. I don't much care for you, if we're being honest here..'

'Off to a winning start already, MacCready', Ellie cuts into the conversation, still irked at Mac's attitude.

Mac turns to glower at her, before turning back to the seated detective. 'Anyway, as I was saying, you don't like me that's fine, but I'm here as a paying customer, take it or leave it. I need your help. Now will you help me or not?'

'Seeing as you put it so nicely MacCready... OK, tell me what the problem is and let's see if we can sort it, ' Nick knows MacCready wouldn't deign to ask for his help unless he was utterly _desperate_ so he feels he owes it to Nora to at least hear him out.

MacCready pulls up a chair and sits down by Nick's desk. He tells Nick the whole Parker Quinn saga and the effect it is having on Nora. 

'So,' Nick says reflectively, 'for some reason Nora's letting Parker Quinn's death act as a release valve for all the things she can't or won't face. At least, that's my take on it.' 

Nick sits in silence for a few moments. Deep in thought, Mac supposes. Or he hopes. He was praying the _great detective_ of Diamond City would know what to do to sort out this mess. Minutes pass. Mac starts to become uncomfortable with the silence. He decides to say something.

'I was hoping that if you could find out everything about Parker Quinn there is to know we could finally put him to rest. Maybe prove to Nora that he was such a bad person that he deserved to die.'

'And if Parker Quinn turns out to have been some kind of saint on the quiet? Then what are you going to tell her?' Nick is curious to know how Mac is proposing to judge whether Parker Quinn deserved to die.

'In the unlikely event Parker Quinn turns out to have been a model citizen I'll build a fucking shrine to him and lay fresh hubflowers on it every day. I think we both know that it won't come to that' Mac can't... _won't_ entertain the thought of Parker Quinn being anything other than lowlife scum.

'You do know this whole thing with Nora isn't about Parker Quinn, per se?' Nick sits back in his chair with a contemplative air. 'Maybe she has something or _someone_ else in her life she needs to deal with and Quinn is a displacement for that?'

'Slow down, Mr RoboDetective man, what are you trying to say?' Mac starts to bristle with irritation, 'Are you saying it's something I've done?'

'Not everything begins and ends with you MacCready....'

'Well, if you can't help, just say so..' Mac starts to rise from his chair. 

'Look MacCready, I want to help you I really do, but you don't make it easy do you?' Nick fixes Mac with a steely stare. 'I've already heard a few things about Parker Quinn on the grapevine, but it's nothing more detailed than what you already told me. I suggest you give me a couple of days to dig out some more information. While I'm gone I want you talk to Pastor Clements about this, see if you can persuade him to help you. Meet me back here in two days.'

Mac shrugs, looks at Nick supposing that he should thank him. 'How much?'

Nick's eyes burn into Mac's face. 'What did you just say?'

'How much? As in how many caps do I owe you for this, Valentine?' Mac feels impatience and irritation rising in him again.

Nick slowly turns to Mac. 'What Nora sees in you I will never know. You really are an asshole, MacCready.'

Mac feels waves of self-righteous indignation, 'Offer a man caps, get called an asshole. Yeah, I see how this whole thing works.'

Nick points to the door, 'Get out, MacCready. I don't want your caps. I'm doing this for Nora, not you. I'll see you back here in two days.'

'Can't wait,' says Mac as he storms out of the office slamming the door after him. 

Mac walks from Nick's office towards the upper stands. He's berating himself for screwing things up with Nick. He feels like he's going to kill the next random person who asks him where Nora is, he's already been asked that question a million times already today. Since when did he cease to become a person in his own right? He now exists as an appendage to Nora in the eyes of the world. He meant every word of it when he told Nora he intended on walking the earth with her until the day he dies but it's no easy ride that's for sure.

Mac continues up the flights of steps to Kellogg's old apartment. The key is still in his pocket, from when he was here with Nora last time. As far as he's aware no one has taken up residence since then. He lingers outside the apartment for a couple of minutes, listening at the door. He hears no sounds from within and quietly turns the key in the lock. The place is untouched, as he thought it would be, since they were last there. He plans to stay here for the night. It's not that he begrudges the caps for a room at The Dugout, well, maybe he does a little bit, but mainly he can't face any more people asking him about Nora. It's been a very long day and his meeting with Nick has left a sour taste in his mouth. He decides he'll get an early night and see Pastor Clements in the morning. Tomorrow he will have a clearer head and might be able to keep a civil tongue in his head when he talks to the Pastor.


	4. Chapter 4

'Ah, nothing says home like a decomposing corpse hanging from a pole,' Mac turns to Pastor Clements as they approach one of the entrances to Hangman's Alley. Pastor Clements musters a weak smile at Mac's attempt at humour. Conversation has been stilted between them, as they walked the short distance from Diamond City. The gruesome adornments Mac is referring to hark back to the time when Hangman's Alley was a raider's den. Nora has been meaning to get rid of the rotting corpses for ages but has never got round to it. Earlier that morning Mac had been to visit the Pastor at the All Faiths Chapel. After hearing MacCready's story the Pastor has agreed to come and talk to Nora. The Pastor thinks that talking with a third party will help her come to terms with things.

'Hi, honey, I'm home... ' Mac shouts as he enters the settlement, his head turning this way and that searching for Nora. 

One of the settlers points to a hunched figure sitting by the cooking fire. Nora looks like she hasn't moved from the spot since Mac left yesterday. She looks up, with a surprised expression on her face. Her complexion is deathly pale and smeared with soot from the fire she's been sitting by. The soot on her cheeks has smeared into patterns that suggest she's been crying. Her eyes are bloodshot and ringed in red. 'Mac, I didn't think you'd be back...'

'What do you mean, you didn't think I'd be back? I said I'd be away a day and I have been a day, haven't I?' Mac is puzzled by her obvious surprise at his presence.

'I thought you'd gone. Thought you'd gone for good...' Nora's expression of surprise has passed as quickly as it came. Her face is blank, unreadable.

'Gone for good? What the fuck are you talking about? Gone where?' 

'Gone, you know, gone, as in left me. As in not coming back...'

'I said I'd be back in a day. I only went to Diamond City, did you not hear what I told you yesterday? What is all this melodramatic crap? Gone for good? What the hell? Do you really think I would just take off like that after all this time and not even have the decency to say a proper goodbye? You really must think a lot of me if you think I'd do that to you.' Even as Mac speaks the words he is trying to process where Nora would have got the impression from him that he was going to walk out on her.

During this exchange Pastor Clements is standing slightly back from the fire, shuffling from foot to foot. He steps forward. 'Hello Nora..'

Nora recoils in horror as she looks up and see Parker Quinn stepping towards her from the shadows, then she looks again and breathes a slow, long drawn out breath of relief. 

'Ohh, hello Pastor..' Nora stumbles over the words, her brain is working reluctantly, trying to figure out what the Pastor is doing in Hangman's Alley. She's feeling a sense of unreality. Pastor Clements. Here. Shouldn't he be in Diamond City? 

'Nora, is there anywhere where we can talk where we won't be disturbed?' the Pastor asks her gently. 

Nora nods her head slowly, still not fully comprehending what is going on. She rises stiffly from her habitual seat by the fireside and Mac steers her in the direction of a small shack with a couple of chairs in it. The Pastor follows her into the shack and sits in one of the chairs, gesturing for Nora to be seated in the other one. The Pastor looks at Mac with a slight nod, that conveys that he will take it from there. Mac quietly shuts the door on the shack and heads off to his favourite spot by the entrance to smoke a cigarette and hopes that the Pastor can work some magic.

Many hours later Pastor Clements emerges from the shack. He has been with Nora all day and Mac has been periodically knocking on the door tentatively, offering food and drink which has been for the most part welcomely received. By the Pastor at least.  
The Pastor emerges into the daylight, eyes blinking to adjust to the sudden brightness. He steers Mac to a quiet spot by the weapons workbench.

'Well, Pastor, how is she?' Mac is hopeful, for the first time in days.

'I think I've made some headway,' the Pastor answers reflectively, 'I'd like to come back and see her regularly though, I think it will help. That young lady is remarkable, she's been through so much. It's amazing she managed to survive and thrive for this long in the Wastelands without breaking before now. I think in some large part that's been down to you, MacCready. Whatever it is you've been doing, just you keep doing it.'

'I intend to,' Mac says. A huge wave of relief hits him and leaves his legs feeling strangely jelly like. He holds onto the weapons workbench for support. 'I am so grateful to you for all your help, Pastor.' 

Mac asks the Pastor if he'd like to stay at the settlement for the night or whether he needs to head straight back to Diamond City. The Pastor tells him that he needs to get back to Diamond City as soon as he can, there are no shortage of people chewed up and spat out by the Commonwealth that require his help. Mac asks one of the Minutemen guarding the settlement to escort the Pastor back to Diamond City.  
'I'll be back in Diamond City tomorrow to see Nick Valentine,' Mac tells the Pastor as he leaves Hangman's Alley. 'I'll pop into the chapel and let you know how Nora is.'

'Thank you, MacCready,' says the Pastor, 'I'd appreciate that.'

Mac turns round from the gate into Hangman's Alley and Nora is standing watching him intently. Without a word she walks towards him, wraps her arms around him and embraces him. He responds to the embrace, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. For a few minutes they stand there together, wrapped around each other is a way that is at once both desperate and tender. They stand there until they feel the outside world pressing in on them and the comings and goings of settlers and provisioners around them can't be ignored any longer. 

Nora leads Mac through into the shack that contains their bed. As they lay down Mac enfolds Nora in a hug as Nora rests her back against his chest. He strokes the side of her face and runs his fingers through her ratty, tangled hair until he hears her soft snores. He smiles and feels content, he thinks that when he sees the Pastor tomorrow it will be all he can do not to plant a big soggy kiss on him, and he's even thinking of doing the same to Nick Valentine. That's how happy Mac is right now.


	5. Chapter 5

Nora rises from the bed, stretching and blinking. She's enjoyed the best night's sleep she's had in ages. The real miracle has been that she hasn't woken up thinking about Parker Quinn, or had nightmares about him last night. She thinks about her long, long talk with Pastor Clements yesterday. He'd sat and listened to her. Really _listened_ to her. There had been no judgement, no shock, no disbelief. He had merely made observations with quiet dignity. His responses made her challenge and think about her thought processes, using undeniable logic to question some of her deepest held self-destructive notions. She's not naive enough to think that Parker Quinn won't figure in her thoughts or dreams again, but now she feels more equipped to banish his ghost.   
Mac has already got up ages ago, but when he hears Nora stirring he walks over to the shack. He looks questioningly at Nora, she flashes a shy half smile at him. He feels strangely awkward, for once at a loss for words. He's scared if he does his usual trick of running his mouth off he'll smash the brittle newness of this moment. He's back to that old clearing his throat, standing like a naughty child routine. He stares at Nora like a rabbit caught in the headlights. He looks so utterly ridiculous standing there with _that face_ that Nora's half smile starts to break into a broad grin. 

'Why are you standing there like a kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar? Got something to tell me?' Nora's grin starts to turn into a full belly laugh.

Mac's expression turns to mock comic hurt. 'Laughing? At me? Have you seen yourself this morning?' He's still unsure of his ground but getting back to their normal teasing of each other would be a good place to start.

Nora grabs a hand mirror from a wooden crate which serves as the dressing table in this rudimentary bedroom. Christ, she looks like shit. Her face is covered in soot and blemishes. Her hair, oh lord, her hair, she's seen better presented mops. She throws the mirror down in disgust. Mac is looking at her, smiling. Typical, he's looking better than ever, blue eyes twinkling and beard freshly groomed. 'Oh, go fuck yourself' she barks at him. But she's laughing as she says it.

By the time the afternoon comes Nora has managed to wash and tame her hair somewhat. Well, enough to pull it back into a pony tail and get rid of most of the tangles. Her face is now minus the soot, but the blemishes stand out even more sharply now the dirt has been washed away. Her eyes are so bloodshot she's surprised she can still see out of them. It will have to do she supposes. She doesn't feel ready to face Diamond City but realistically she's never been there looking drop dead gorgeous anyway.   
Mac kisses her, and says chirpily, 'You look lovely, but the answer is still no. I'm going on my own and that's the end of it.'

'But why? I'm fine...' Nora whines in reply.

'You're a bit better. You're not _fine_. It's been a whole 24 hours since you were at rock bottom, thinking that I'd left you and understandably feeling the deep sorrow that breaking up with me would of course deserve. But I'm not going anywhere I'm afraid, you're lumbered with me forever.'

'Well if you insist on going to Diamond City alone, can you do something for me whilst you're there?' Nora fumbles in a steamer chest and produces a bulging bag of caps. 'Can you give this to Pastor Clements, tell him it's for the Chapel funds.'

Mac takes the bag of caps. It's heavy. Very heavy. 'There must be about 1,000 caps in here, Nora!'

'Yup, 1,000 caps, counted them myself. That's a few hours of my life I'll never get back.'

'Right, and you want me to give this to Pastor Clements... just like that. 1,000 caps? OK, I guess if he's helped you it's fair enough......but if the caps are this heavy and it took you that long to count them it makes you think that maybe Parker Quinn was on to something with his charge card idea.' Mac regrets the words the minute they've left his mouth... How could he be so stupid? He decides to brazen it out, apologies just aren't his forte..... 'What.. too soon?' He cocks a mischievous eyebrow at Nora who's looking stunned, but not upset thank God.

'Oh, you're impossible...' What else can she do but laugh? Mac can be a real asshole at times, but he's _her_ asshole.


	6. Chapter 6

When Mac arrives at Diamond City his first port of call is the All Faiths Chapel. Pastor Clements is outside sweeping, which is rather a pointless exercise considering the amount of crap lying around the whole city. 'Good afternoon MacCready. How is Nora today?' This time Mac doesn't mind being questioned about Nora.

'She's doing well, Pastor. She had a decent night's sleep last night and seems to be getting back to her old self. She asked me to give you this,' Mac proffers the bulging bag of caps, 'For the Chapel Funds....'

The Pastor's eyes open wide as he feels the weight of the bag of caps that Mac hands him. 'That wasn't necessary, but I'm going to be able to help a lot of people with this, so thank you.'

'No problem,' says Mac, 'She says she'll swing by for another chat with you very soon.'

'That's great, I'm glad I was able to help. Thanks again for these,' the Pastor rattles the bag of caps. 'I'd better go and put this somewhere safe now, can't be too careful..there's a lot of bad people out there'

'Isn't there just?' Mac agrees with a _I know but what can you do about it_ shrug, 'See you soon Pastor.'

Mac makes his way to Nick Valentine's office, and stands outside psyching himself up to open the door. Whatever happens at least Mac will have some good news for Nick, he's sure that he will be delighted to hear how much talking to the Pastor has helped Nora. Mac opens the door and is pleased to see that Ellie Perkins isn't there. One less apology to make, then.

'Ahh, MacCready, you're back.. ' Nick turns to face Mac as he enters the office.

Mac stands in the doorway, 'Uh, sorry about the other day, Valentine... I was out of line.'

'Forget it, MacCready, it's fine. How did you get on with the Pastor?'

'Absolutely great, he went to see Nora and she's been like a different person since he left. More like her old self, you know?'

Nick smiles and nods, 'I'm glad to hear that MacCready. Real glad.' 

'So, did you manage to dig up any dirt on Parker Quinn, then?' 

Nick winces, every word out of MacCready's mouth seems weighted to cause him maximum irritation, but he's pretty sure that this time it's unintentional. He's probably being oversensitive due to his natural aversion to MacCready. 'Well, I found out some information about him if that's what you mean, come and sit down and I'll tell you what I've found out.'

Mac seats himself next to Nick's desk. Nick brings the notes that he's compiled about Parker Quinn and gives Mac a summary of his findings, 'Well, it seems Quinn was pretty much living on borrowed time. His entrepreneurial activities have put him on the radar of some very big noises and he's got a bounty on his head, so if he was into standing around unarmed on street corners then it's a miracle he was still alive when you came across him', 

'So, in theory, we could claim the bounty on him?' It's almost like Mac can't _resist_ saying things that will wind Nick up. Mac looks across at Nick and raises his hands in mock surrender 'OK, OK, I know that wasn't in the best of taste. It was supposed to be a joke'

'Do you see me laughing?'

Mac does his best attempt at looking humble. 'Sorry, Valentine. Did you find out anything else about Quinn, what about his personal life?'

'Well, it would appear he was a solo operator, mainly. He liked to charm the ladies, there are a few girls around the Commonwealth that he was with for a short while before doing a flit with most of their possessions after promising them the moon on a plate.'

'So, a thoroughly nice guy then?' Mac is relieved that Parker Quinn was exactly what he'd appeared to be and not a well meaning family man with a wife and kids to provide for.

'A petty criminal, sure, but I don't think that's enough to convince Nora that he deserved to die. I'm not sure how you should play this MacCready but I don't think the 'he _deserved_ to die' line is going to go over that well with Nora. Maybe what you said yesterday about the shrine and the hubflowers wasn't that far off the mark.'

'You can't be serious, Valentine? You think I should build a shrine to this guy that almost wrecked my life?'

'Well maybe not go that far, but I think Nora needs some sort of closure before she can move on from this. I'm sure a simple ceremony of some sort would suffice.' 

Mac holds back from telling Valentine that he thinks his ceremony idea is utter bullshit. He tries to look at it from Nora's point of view, she's part of the old world, much as she's adapted to her life in the Wastelands at the very core of her being she will always be a product of that. She still judges herself by the ideals of that civilisation; laws, justice and social responsibility are part of who Nora is, however well adapted she appears to be to this new life.

Mac shakes Nick's hand, with a rare genuine smile aimed at him. 'Thanks, Nick, I owe you one.'

'Just make sure you bring Nora to see me next time you two visit Diamond City, MacCready'

'Of course..' Mac leaves the detective's office and heads back to Hangman's Alley.

__________________________________________________________________________

Mac and Nora stand on a street corner in South Boston. Mac feels exposed, and not just in the sense of hostile activities in the area, he feels like a laughing stock. He can't believe that he is actually going through with this. Nora is kneeling down on the remains of the pavement, lighting some candles and arranging some hubflowers. Once she is satisfied with the arrangement she stands in solemn contemplation staring down at them. 'Goodbye, Parker Quinn' she says. She turns to Mac, face still solemn but with the old mischief back in her eyes. 'Come on Mac, let's go and get our life back.'

**Author's Note:**

> After I killed Parker Quinn in the game I felt a little bit guilty, and this provided the spark of inspiration to write this short story. It got a bit out of hand, I only thought it would be about a page long...


End file.
